Not Quite a Stranger
by sarahwicz
Summary: ABANDONED The Marauders are in their final year at Hogwarts. A year of pranking, girlfriends, and eating is surely ahead but there is also a mysterious DADA teacher who just seems to know a little too much about them. Written before HBP
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Back by popular demand… Not Quite a Stranger, edited big time but still the same story! This takes place after Harry's 7th year and Voldemort is gone, three guesses who killed him…

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; if I did I would be relaxing on a yacht and not typing this story up.

Chapter 1: The Dream

xxXxx

"_So," said Dumbledore, "Are you ready to do this?"_

"_As ready as I can be," a man who looked strangely like James grumbled, "How the hell did you talk me into this?"_

"_Well, you should have a break after all you've been through. After all, I think everyone knows that even the savior of the world deserves a break."_

"_Yeah, and you blackmailed me."_

"_Well, I can't help it you got so drunk at last year's Christmas party, you let Remus take some very embarrassing pictures of you and Ron."_

_The man sighed, "You can't blame me for trying to relax though."_

_Dumbledore nodded gravely, "I know. You deserved it. However, getting back to the point, do you remember everything I told you earlier?"_

"_I hope so," he mumbled then saw Dumbledore's sharp look, "I mean, yes, I have everything memorized by heart."_

"_No need to be sarcastic Harry."_

"_Yes sir."_

"_Also, don't let them see your things. You never know what could happen if they see the wrong thing." Harry nodded and they both sat in silence for a while. Each man looked totally relaxed in each other's company. Even though Dumbledore was older, it seemed as though the respect between them was mutual._

_Harry suddenly grinned, "It will be weird having someone question whether I'm a Death Eater or not."_

"_Oh really, why is that Harry? Even today, we still take precautions."_

"_Ha ha, very funny Dumbledore, make fun of the boy who was famous before he could walk," pouted Harry. They glared at each other for a few moments then burst out laughing. Then a thought seemed to strike Harry, "What if I'm a terrible teacher?" _

_Dumbledore sighed, "You know you'll be fine. You know the subject like the back of your hand. And somehow, I think you'll be more popular then McGonagall, though Sirius does seem to have a crush on her…"_

_Harry started twitching. Dumbledore seemed not to notice and he said, "Ah well, enough talking, time for action, are you ready?"_

"_No."_

"_What did I say about being sarcastic?"_

"_Sorry sir."_

"_Just don't forget to give me the letter, okay?"_

"_Yes sir."_

_Dumbledore offered his hand, "Harry, I've never been so proud of you in my life."_

"_Even when…"_

"_Yes, including then." They looked each other in the eye and shook hands. Harry then disappeared suddenly. Dumbledore just smiled and got out a lemon drop._

"James, it's time to get up! You don't want to miss the train!"

James started and fell out of bed, his sheets and pillow coming after him. He kissed his pillow groggily for a few minutes then reached for his glasses on his bedside table almost bringing the lamp down in the process. As soon as he could actually see that he was actually kissing the pillow and not Lily, he thought about the dream he just had. Did he actually have a vision? He groaned; maybe he should have taken divination.

He pulled on some jeans and his t-shirt then hurriedly pushed some more things into his trunk. Most of the room in his trunk was filled with basically all of the prank products available, from England and some were even international. A few that Sirius got him he wasn't even sure were legal. His dad had to enlarge the trunk to fit his books and clothes.

James was getting ready for his seventh years at Hogwarts. He had to be ready for the year of pranking with his friends Sirius, Remus, and Peter. And of course, this year he was going to go out with the best girl in all of Hogwarts, Lily Evens. She was his friend now true, but she was going to be his.

"Don't forget your Head Boy pin, James!"

James growled. He wasn't putting that… thing on until he had to. It should have been Remus who got it not him. The only good thing about it was that Lily was the Head Girl and had rounds with him at night.

Just as he was ready to go downstairs, he spotted one last thing he had to pack, The Book. It was the book that had all of there pranks in it. Somehow each one of them managed to have their own name no matter how big or how small. Lily called them crazy, Remus just shook his head, but Sirius and James needed the book. It was a tradition to write in it. They swore that one day they would past it onto their kids and they would use some of them to freak the teachers out.

When he made it downstairs, his parents looked at him and tried not to laugh. Now, normally James was a morning person but he had stayed up since 3:00 that morning and he was in no mood to joke around. "What is it?" he said impatiently.

His father said very matter of factly, "Your shirt is inside out and backwards, your zipper isn't zipped on your pants, you have two different shoes on and your hair is tidy."

James's eyes stayed glassy with sleep until the last comment. "My hair!" he yelled and ran upstairs to fix that particular problem. His parents looked at each other and laughed.

Two tubes of hair gel and three stacks of pancakes later, James was ready. He shook his dad's hand and hugged his mom then walked out of the house. This was the first time he was apparating to the train station. He closed his eyes, touched his trunk, and disappeared to face his final year of Hogwarts. The dream was totally forgotten.

xxXxx

Author's Note: I know that is so much better then the time I posted this before! Tell me what you think, all you have to do is click… the button… now…


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Wow, I got some pretty good response from the last chapter! Thanks to everybody who reviewed, I intend to continue this story! It's pretty slow going until the summer (school sucks) so not killing me would be appreciated. Thank you!

Disclaimer: Me no own Harry Potter!

Chapter 2: All aboard the Hogwarts Express

xxXxx

Harry was once again on the Hogwarts Express. Last year he thought was his last year but apparently Hogwarts wasn't done with him yet. It really wasn't fair, yet really when was anything fair? Well, to him at least. But this trip was probably the most damaging mental wise.

After he had disappeared from the present, he came to the past. As soon as he landed in his chair (It really was his chair. He had been in Dumbledore's office so much in his 7th year they had had a ceremony and named the chair officially HIS chair) Dumbledore was sitting in the same position he was before.

The old man simply raised his eyes and smiled slightly at his sudden appearance. Harry smiled as well and handed over the letter he was supposed to give. Dumbledore opened it up with extreme slowness and read it over several times. It seemed like an eternity before he finally said, "So, Mr. Harry Jameson, you are supposed to be our new professor of Defense against the Dark Arts. Your credentials seem fine, but perhaps you should answer me one thing; will you be able to resist any temptations?"

Harry grimaced. Of course he thought about telling his parents everything. However, he knew that in doing so would create a time paradox, the last thing they wanted to do. "I'm ready," he simply said.

"Very well, while your rooms are getting ready you shall be staying at the Leaky Cauldron for free until the school year starts."

"I'll be taking the train, correct?"

Dumbledore smiled his knowing smile, "If you insist."

So Harry stayed there for a few days trying to keep a low profile (it was easier then expected as no one knew who he was) then finally got to the Hogwarts Express where he was now. So far, he had seen quite a few people who he knew in the future. It was rather disgusting when he saw two girls who were almost definitely Lavender's and Paravati's mom winking and giggling at him. He had taken the very last compartment in the train hoping that he wouldn't run into any more parents before he was ready.

xxXxx

"James, don't leave me!" Sirius yelled as the train started to speed off out of the station with Sirius barely keeping up. Remus chuckling and Peter was smirking but James was honestly worried. After all, if there was no Sirius, who would serve in the numerous detentions with him? James stretched out his hand as far as he could, his tongue hanging out and his face screwed up in a look of utmost concentration.

Sirius reached for his hand once and missed, and then once again he tried and got pulled into the train just as the train left the station. However, when James pulled him in, he had pulled a little too hard. All four boys were lying in a tangled heap in the corridor between the prefect car and the regular cars. Their muffled laughter and the extremely loud bang brought out the Head Girl for this year, Lily Evens. When she came out, she saw various patches of black and brown hair, a chubby arm that looked like it belonged to Peter, a leg that had pants on it that belonged to Remus and James's head. "Hey, Lily!" he exclaimed pulling his hand out to run through his hair but stopped remembering Lily hated it when he did that.

Lily bit her lip trying not to laugh as Sirius said, "Peter, that's my leg not yours!" She shook her head and got a mock serious look on her face. "Listen James," she said, "We're supposed to instruct the prefects together but I got it covered. Just please try to untangle yourselves before you scar the first years forever." The first years who had been looking at the mess in front of their door, immediately ducked their heads down under the window.

James nodded and dazed lovingly at Lily as she headed back into the car. Eventually, the other three pulled themselves up and, gradually got James to start walking down the hall with them to find a car to sit in ("Yes, James, we realize we are going in a direction opposite of Lily"). However, getting to the train late did have its disadvantages; there were no empty cars to be found.

They got to the very last car with only one lone person sitting in it. "Well, what are we supposed to do now?" asked Peter. They were used to getting their own car. One year, they actually sat in a car with some older students, but they left once Sirius had to take off his pants in a game of strip poker.

Remus, ever the practical one, said, "We go in there like mature adults and ask if we can sit with him." Sirius and James looked at each other then threw back their heads in laughter. Remus rolled his eyes and opened the door causing the two 'mature' ones to sober up quickly.

When Remus had opened the door, the man inside stopped staring out the window and Remus stopped dead in his tracks causing the three boys behind him to almost fall down once again. The man smiled slightly and said, "You can come in and sit if you want. I don't bite, well hard that is."

The four made their way slowly to the seats across from him. James and Remus tried not to stare, but Peter was openly gazing with his mouth wide open and Sirius looked like he was observing a tennis match between the man and James. James and the new person looked identical except for the eyes as James had hazel eyes and the other had bright green eyes. Also the man had a strange scar on his forehead that looked almost like a cursed scar. After a minute of complete silence, the stranger coughed slightly and introduced himself. "Hello," he said lightly, "I'm Harry Jameson, your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I suppose I'll be teaching you this year."

"But… but you're so young!" stuttered Peter.

Harry smiled apparently very amused at the statement, "People say that a lot when they see me." Then his eyes glazed and he stared out the window again. The Marauders looked at each other and shrugged. Sirius and James started a game of chess while Remus got out a book and Peter did some last minute summer work due the next day and every once in a while would ask Remus a question.

Suddenly, James looked up, "I do know you! I think I had a dream about something with Dumbledore, maybe your interview…"

Harry sharply looked up then calmed down as he said, "It's probably just a coincidence. After all, I'm pretty sure you don't have seer blood running through your family."

"Nope."

"Ah, well, I didn't think you saw my interview anyway. You would have enjoyed it."

Sirius, who had been debating where to place his next piece, now stared at Harry and asked, "Why?"

"Well," Harry said taking his time, "It seems as though your old DADA teacher, Professor Jones, has reluctantly agreed to stay on this year on one condition; she didn't teach the 7th years. Now when I asked Dumbledore why, he said he wouldn't mention any names however it seems that some students who are in 7th year this year, left their mark on the poor woman. So, I'm only teaching the 7th years."

James and Sirius looked at each other wide eyed and Remus was trying not to look surprised. Peter was still trying to do work and was oblivious to everything else. "Do you think he knows that they are us?" whispered Sirius. Remus shook his head sharply and looked pointedly at Harry.

Harry noticed this and smiled looking up at the ceiling. "As an old mentor once said to me," Harry said, "I have temporarily gone deaf and cannot hear a single word you're saying."

James shrugged and said, "I guess we should have done #1065 after all."

Remus shook his head, "No way that was too… cruel. As much as I hate her, even we couldn't sink that low." Sirius and James nodded reluctantly and Harry seemed to regain his hearing and smiled at the boys before looking back out of the window.

"Err… professor, if you don't mind me asking, exactly how old are you?" asked Remus.

"I turn eighteen two months ago," Harry chuckled and then said, "Don't worry though, I have enough experience in this subject to teach it. After all, most of this year, you will be learning dueling spells and techniques to get you ready."

Remus looked ready to question exactly what they needed to get ready for, but Peter interrupted, "You're barely a year older then us; how do you expect to keep control of our class?"

"I have my ways. Anyway, the class should respect the teacher no matter what age he is," Harry said his eyes flashing. The other three Marauders nodded. For the most part, they only pranked the teachers who had earned the right to be pranked. Only Professor Jones was the exception; they had just wanted her out of there.

Peter still snorted, "I still don't see why I should respect someone who is the same as me. Shouldn't teachers have more power, more experience, more influence, over students then you have?"

Harry eyes continued to flash but before he could say anything, Remus said, "Shut up Peter."

"Yeah, what's gotten into you? Like it or not, he's our teacher; if Dumbledore says he's okay, then he's okay in our book so drop it!" commanded James.

"No!" exclaimed Peter jumping up, "No, I won't listen to you anymore! You're always ordering me around like you're better then me, but you're not!"

Maybe Peter could have been calmed down then but Sirius said, "Peter, we don't think we're better then you. We're your friends, the only friends you have."

Remus and James sighed while Harry looked mildly interested. Peter sputtered and shouted, "You're wrong Sirius, and you always are! I met new friends this summer. They're better and more powerful then you guys could ever imagine being! One of them even happens to be your brother, Sirius, so just be quiet now or I'll leave completely!"

Sirius turned red at the mention of his brother and shouted back, "Then leave, we don't care!"

Peter glared at everyone, especially Harry, then got his trunk and slammed out of the car. Harry laughed quietly, "Maybe I shouldn't have come on the train after all."

Sirius muttered, "He'll be back, he's been having his little moods lately, it's like he's going through puberty again." The rest of the car looked at each other and erupted with laughter. Sirius eventually came around and the rest of the car was spent rooting on Sirius after he challenged Remus to a chess game. Apparently, this was the 106th time in a row Sirius had lost. However, even though they were laughing and even forgetting that Harry was a professor, Peter's outburst was not forgotten and some tension still remained whenever there was a silent moment.

The train pulled into the station with a squeal as the conductor put on the breaks. Harry silently left the car to get up to the school early while the boys fought over whose robes were whose (apparently James took Sirius's robe by accident at the end of last year but he wouldn't admit). As they left the train and headed to the carriages, they searched Peter but he was no where to be found. They got a horseless carriage all to themselves and got driven to the school and towards their very last year at Hogwarts.

A/N: I work my butt off on this chapter so I could get it to you guys ASAP, so do me a favor and review! I'll have the newest chapter up soon... hopefully...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Welcoming Feast

The three boys headed into the Great Hall preparing for their 7th and final Welcoming Feast. The hall was crowded as usual and bustling with excitement. People scurried from table to table, laughing and chatting with friends they hadn't seen since last year. The ceiling was amazing as always however this year, instead of the normally clear skies, clouds were all that could be seen and lanterns actually had to be placed every few feet down the table. James, Sirius, and Remus looked at each other with huge smiles on their faces and hurriedly sat down near the front. The absence of Peter was noticed by most people who were looking questioningly at the group, but didn't pay it much mind. James and Sirius were often thought of as the ring leaders and Remus was the brain but Peter was considered a worthless groupie to most.

As they sat down, Sirius immediately started complaining about his stomach. "I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff," he moaned pathetically.

Remus raised his eyebrow and said, "You know, Sirius, you might wish you hadn't said that once you meet a hippogriff in real life."

"When in hell am I going to meet a hippogriff?"

James snorted, "The same day you move back in your house and tolerate Kreacher." The three looked at each other and burst out laughing. Sirius stuttered, "Like, like, like that would ever happen!"

Of course at this particular moment, the first years decided to come in and the hall fell silent except for them. And of course, that just made them laugh harder. Now to top this whole thing off, their defense teacher decided to come in looking like a drowned cat. Almost simultaneously, they fell backwards off their seats blocking the way to the front of the hall to the Sorting Hat. The first years, by this point, were scared out of their minds. The other students were cracking up at their antics and the teachers were shaking their heads though Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling.

Harry was getting annoyed at this point. At any other time, he would probably be laughing too, but on the way to Hogwarts, he took the boats with Hagrid to help with the first years. It just so happened that the Giant Squid felt like watching them and it just so happened that one of the first years decided to be a hero and touch it. The Squid, not surprisingly, was lonely so it took that particular student for company. Harry dove in and saved him, but it turned out that Charlie (the student) didn't feel like being saved as he 'wasn't a sissy' and kicked Harry in the gut trying to get away.

Keeping this in mind, someone could understand why Harry was getting just a tad bit angry. He strode to the three boys and picked Sirius up by his collar and put him back on his seat. The laughter turned into shock as he did it to James as well. He was about to go to Remus but Remus was smart and got up on his seat under his own power. Harry glared at them and the Marauders stared at him. Harry finally shook his head and chuckled a little which caused Sirius to burst out laughing again with James joining in and Remus joining Harry in the head shaking party.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and Hagrid took that as a signal to push the back of the first years up. Both he and Harry walked up to the Head table and took their seats. James finally settled down enough to think about Harry. He hadn't thought the man looked strong but he was able to pick up Sirius, food gut and all. He just looked normal. So the question is, why did he try to look normal when everything he did seemed not… normal?

"I don't know," murmured Remus and James realized that, not only had he spoke his question out loud, but the sorting had started and he missed the song completely. Sirius actually looked thoughtful for once as he stared up at Harry who was now talking silently to McGonagall. McGonagall was shaking her head and both turned towards the three boys at once and didn't stop looking until Sirius looked away first.

Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Well, now that our first years are sorted," James snorted. He hadn't heard a single one. Dumbledore continued, "I have just a few announcements to make. First, we have a new addition to our faculty. He will be teaching 7th year defense and a dueling club after school for 5th years and above. I'm pleased to introduce Harry Jameson!" The Hall exploded with applause. James wasn't sure the reason behind it though; it was possibly because he stood up and waved at them with a cheerful expression or that he had actually made the Marauders become silent. Though, he had to admit grudgingly, the girls were looking at him admiringly.

The headmaster waited until the noise turned down and then said, "I would also like to say that Mr. Filch has banned thirty-seven more items bringing the list to seven hundred twenty-two. The complete list is outside his office." Sirius, James, and Remus avoided looking at each other as they were responsible for most of those items being on there. "Also," Dumbledore grinned as he spoke, "The Forbidden Forest is still the Forbidden Forest, not the Happy Rainbow Forest as some fliers proclaimed last year, and as such no students are allowed to go in it." Sirius almost had a stroke trying not to laugh as he was the one who had conveniently distributed said fliers last year.

Dumbledore clapped and the food appeared on the tables. Sirius didn't need to look twice to dig in and James was close behind. Remus took his time to actually put his napkin in his lap before getting food.

It wasn't long before the food started to clear and dessert started to appear. Lily chose this moment to come over and sit near Remus across from Sirius and James who were still gorging themselves. "Hello," she said pleasantly trying not to look at James as he attempted to put a whole slice of cake in his mouth while Sirius watched in awe. "I just wanted to tell you all that the password is pamplemousse. I figured you wouldn't listen to anyone after you ate," she said and turned to go anyway but not before saying, "Hey isn't that apple pie?" Poor Lily had only really been close friends with the Marauders for about a year now when she saw they weren't as bad as they looked. She didn't know yet that Sirius and James both loved apple pie and would do whatever they could to get it.

Both boys leaped across the table and slide down it fighting each other as they went to get to the pie. As they slid, they pushed food off of the table to make way for themselves so by the time they got to the pie; half of the Gryffindors were covered in various desserts. Peter was one of these people. He didn't like the food on his robes and he was still mad from earlier. He took a handful of pudding, took careful aim, and lobbed it at the back of Sirius's hair. Sirius felt the pudding on his precious hair and saw that Peter was the culprit. He took a piece of apple pie and threw it back but Peter had been expecting it and ducked leaving the pie to fly into Lily's face.

Now no one can be sure who shouted the two awful words that night. Some say that James yelled it and others said Remus. A second year even claimed that he heard the Head Girl herself say it. But most people sitting near the front swear that it was Professor Jameson's voice they heard that night despite the fact that it came from the back of the room. Whoever the person was, the fact remained that the words, "Food fight!" were exclaimed and a food fight did follow.

Staggering out of the Great Hall a few minutes later, Lily emerged first almost completely clean except for some apple pie on her robe and crumbs in her hair. Her shielding spells had done her well. Remus fared well too; he looked as though he was coated in honey with a few things stuck to him. On the other hand, James and Sirius clung to each other as they staggered back to the common room. They were in the middle of the epic war. Nothing could describe these two but needless to say, James now had a way to make his hair stay down straight. The four laughed the whole way up and when the Fat Lady saw them, she didn't even bother asking for the password. She swung open wide hoping that they wouldn't touch her frame with their sticky fingers.

5 showers (Sirius went twice) and two broken brushes later, they sat in front of the fireplace still sniggering about dinner when James saw his opportunity. He couldn't help it; it was a habit now so he just had to say it, the magic words, "Lily, will you go out with me?"

Lily, who had been in a play-by-play discussion with Sirius, stared. "Okay, James," she said and tried to go back to his conversation but couldn't. Sirius and Remus had to try to resurrect James as he had fainted dangerously close to the fire.

xxXxx

Harry was sitting in front of his own fireplace gazing into the fire trying to get some leftover jelly out of his ear. That had been the best food fight he had ever been in. Of course, he had started it, but no one would ever figure it out.

Perhaps sitting there thinking about the fight made his mind wander to his parents. Not only were they good fighters (his mom had to be a softball pitcher), but they looked like they actually liked each other. He even saw his mom look at his father and blush before looking away. According to Remus, they started going out tonight. He considered himself personally responsible for that. He sighed. Life was going good.

Little did he know that somewhere a person wanted him dead and was making plans to achieve that goal.

xxXxx

Author's Note: Okay so let me say one thing. I started this story when I was ten years old. My writing style has changed completely (the people who have been with me since I was Miss US Padfoot can testify). I lost any motivation to continue. So now that I've gotten it back everything should go smoother and with a better plotline. Thanks for understanding! By the way, pamplemousse is French for grapefruit, don't ask me why I chose that!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Okay, before I even begin I need to say that my favorite reviewer for last chapter is Freakstar! You gave me like the perfect review and I agree with a lot of your points. Plus, I have a whole new subplot thing now with the dreams because of you! You are so my hero!

Chapter 4: The First Defense Class

_James blinked as he saw the day was slowly turning into night. The sun was setting on the two figures near the Great Lake. They were both hard to make out at first, but the setting slowly got closer. One of them was definitely Jameson; the other was harder to make out. He was a pasty, white figure with a completely flat face and small slits where red irises looked out angrily. The tension was unbearable. Both looked as though they wanted to kill the other. They paid no attention to anything around them even though it was hard to miss. Duels were breaking out everywhere, half were adults versus adults but a lot looked as though students from the castle were fighting and winning most of the time as well. James shook his head slowly and tried to remember that this had to be a dream, but it was another dream that looked completely real. _

_His thoughts trailed off as he got close enough to see that Jameson and the other man were actually holding up their wands and pointing them at each other. Whenever one would cast a spell, the other would flick it off as if it were nothing. James' eyes widened as he heard some of the spells being cast; they were clearly dark magic. But Jameson didn't resort to that; he was mainly defending however he had a twinkle in his eye that said he knew more then what he was letting on. The red-eyed man snarled, "It seems we have come to an impasse."_

"_Maybe," Harry said flicking off yet another spell that could have killed him and said a simple disarming spell that the other man easily shielded. Harry continued, "But, Voldemort, I seriously doubt it." His face took on a look of fury as he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" at the same time the other, Voldemort, did the same thing._

_A funny thing now happened. The spells collided in midair and a web of light appeared around the two with a light connecting the wands. A bubble appeared in the middle of that light and hovered back and forth between the two men. Harry snarled and pushed against the wand. Voldemort's face contorted into a look of amazement and fear as the bubble slowly moved down the line and almost settled right in front of his wand. Figures began to appear out of his wand, but James couldn't see their faces. He did see, though, that they kept coming and each went behind Harry and touched him as if offering him strength. Harry's eyes closed and he whispered something then when they opened they shone with a strong inner light. "Good bye, Voldemort," he said almost pleasantly and the bubble went into Voldemort's wand._

_A flash of green light completely engulfed the area and when it dissipated only one figure was standing, Harry Jameson. The adults who had been in black cloaks immediately began to run but none got very far. Victory shouts were heard throughout the night. A red head darted up towards Harry and jumped, leaping on Harry and forcing him to hold her as she kissed him with a passion. James didn't see what happened next, however, as he heard a noise rustling next to him and as he looked down, he sat a rat running away from the scene. It looked familiar…_

James gasped as he sat up in his bed soaking wet. Sirius was standing over his bed with a bucket, now empty, and Remus was laughing hard. Peter merely stood to the side looking as though he wanted to laugh but held himself back in case he wasn't forgiven yet. James' glare engulfed them all which made even Peter burst out laughing. "What did you do that for?" he asked with a chilly voice.

Sirius' eyes shone with innocence as he said, "Well, Prongsey-poo, you're usually the one to wake me up like this the first day of school and since it's almost time for breakfast and you were the last one up, I thought I would do the honors this year."

James now had a smile twitching on his face but merely said, "I know where you live," and got out of bed starting to get dressed quickly. Sirius turned somber at this news and looked to Remus for help but he shrugged. The prank wars between Sirius and James were legendary and no one cared to get between them. Of course, that didn't mean that Remus didn't try to make things less difficult; he was often the supplier for the ideas of each one and delighted to see all of them play out exactly as he wanted them.

Peter cleared his throat and looked down at his feet. "I, I wanted to say that I'm sorry," he muttered, "I was wrong. I just…"

Sirius looked him up and down then grinned, "I know. You're all good." Peter looked up with a grin as well and the tension that hadn't faded since yesterday now dissipated. James finally was ready and the four, now reunited, headed down the stairs only to find Lily waiting for them. She didn't say anything as she walked with them and they didn't say anything for fear of disrupting this fine balance that she and James had now that they were going out.

They got to the Great Hall and James sat down with Lily right next to him. It seemed that a hush fell over all the students and even the teachers were looking on with interest particularly Jameson who seemed to be expecting something. James didn't notice; he was sweating like a pig and his eyes darted between Lily and the table though Lily seemed not to notice. Finally, James watched with horror as one of his arms reached up slowly and decided to land on the shoulder of Lily. Sirius, Remus, and Peter looked at each other and covered their ears praying to God that the blowup wasn't going to be that bad. To everyone's surprise, Lily merely scooted closer to James and continued to eat.

The students looked disappointed but the teachers broke out in laughter and McGonagall gave something to Jameson which made him laugh even harder. No one seemed to notice that Sirius was distracted enough to put his elbow in his food and Remus was testing the limit as to how far his jar would drop. It was a major change in one night but the two in question looked fine with it so they didn't say anything.

Finished eating, the five headed to their first class, Defense Against the Dark Arts. They filed in with the other students and sat down taking out their books and waited. The bell that was supposed to signal the beginning of class rang, but Jameson was still not in sight. Another five minutes passed and still no sign of their teacher. They looked at each other and started to whisper, but before any rumors were started, the door slammed open admitting the missing teacher. "Sorry I'm late," Jameson said hurriedly as he almost ran up to his desk, "I had to put something away in my rooms that I got at breakfast this morning." He looked out at the students and smiled ignoring some of the looks of surprise on their faces.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Well, now, my name is Professor Jameson. I'll be your teacher for this year and this year only. My main goal is to teach you all to be ready for anything once you hit the real world. Which reminds me," he paused putting a flyer up on the board, "The dueling club is going to start in two weeks. That will give me plenty of time to get ready for all of you." Having said this, he looked out at them as if hoping to get some reaction but when none came, he looked a little more deflated and said, "I suppose you'll want to know the curriculum then."

At this, Lily, Remus, and most of the Ravenclaws sat up straighter as if that would help them listen. Everyone else though, slumped down further in their seats and Sirius even went so far as to groan a little. Jameson appeared disheartened as he looked at a piece of paper he picked up. "Well," he began, "It seems that Dumbledore would like me to teach you everything you'll ever need for the first semester and the rest of the year spend time reviewing for N.E.W.T.s." At this point, Sirius wasn't alone in groaning. James was the only one out of the Marauders not to groan and that was simply because Lily didn't too.

"But," Jameson continued, "I was planning on teaching spells and learning how to use them practically in the first semester, have a dueling tournament in the third quarter, and review in the fourth. Not that much different, but still more exciting then just plan learning I should think." The class looked a little better at this news and Sirius even had a slight grin on his face thinking of dueling Snape.

Harry saw the smile and looked ready to groan, "Of course, I will be the one picking your partner to avoid any mishaps." Sirius gave him a look that could freeze the rainforest.

Jameson looked at his watch and bit his lip, "You know I still have you for another twenty minutes, so I'll start with something simple… expelliarmus." At this point the class looked at him with interest despite the fact that they had seen the spell before quite often. It could have been because they wanted to see how they could teach or it may have been the death glares that Lily (and James after seeing her do it) was sending their way.

"I would like to call to the front of the room," exclaimed Jameson waiting for a second to give it a dramatic flare, "Lupin and Malfoy!" The two boys looked at each other with a grin on fixed on their faces and went up to the front of the room.

The reasoning behind this pairing may have been that Harry thought that Remus was level headed and wouldn't take it too far plus he had probably already mastered the spell a long time ago and also that Malfoy Sr. was probably as incompetent as Malfoy Jr. in his time. What he didn't take into account was that the Remus of this time was saner then Sirius and James but he was still a teenager who was still a little bit prejudiced towards those of the Slytherin house. He also wasn't aware that Malfoy was a master dueler who had recently found out that Remus was a werewolf.

Things got interesting.

The two boys walked up to the top of the classroom and bowed to each other without Harry telling them to. It was only then that Harry saw the looks that they were giving each other. It reminded him of the looks he and Malfoy had exchanged before their little duel in 2nd year. He inwardly cursed the day that Dumbledore got it in his head to send him back in time. However, he continued with his plan and said, "I'm glad to see that you've bowed but that wasn't necessary. I'm assuming you both know the spell so I want you to demonstrate it for the class. On the count of three, you will both say the spell. Whoever is still standing in the end gets 10 house points, fair enough?"

"1, 2…"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

The two boys had taken it in their heads to both say the spell just a second earlier then expected. They weren't expecting the other to do the same. Both flew back. Remus was lucky and hit the teacher's desk flying over it and falling in a crumbled heap behind it. Malfoy, however, flew straight back and straight into the wall making a dull thud as his head hit the hard stone.

Immediately, the entire class was up and the Marauders rushed to their friend's side helping him to stand. He did, eventually, with a little help on either side by Sirius and James and had a slight grin on his face as he surveyed the job he did on Malfoy. Malfoy wasn't moving as his friends gathered around him trying to wake him up. Harry had to push through the crowd to see him then murmured, "Ennervate," to wake him up. "Take him to Madame Pomfrey now," he said with a commanding tone in his voice that had never been there before. The Slytherins heard it and hurriedly picked up the blond and carried him out but not before the class saw the red line of blood dripping down the back of his head.

The class began to laugh but then stopped as soon as they saw their professor's murderous face. "5 points from Gryffindor and Slytherin for not listening to instructions," he said with a deadly quiet tone, "You may leave."

The class filed out still excited from the action that had happened spreading rumors as they walked out. Sirius murmured to James, "He got really serious didn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess he learned to have a better lesson plan now."

Remus, Lily, and Peter were the last out as Lily and Peter were making sure that Remus wouldn't fall over. It was close to the full moon, so Remus was stronger then usual or else he would have been going to the hospital wing as well. That also meant that his senses were more heightened as usual as well.

Perhaps that's why he was the only one who thought he heard a soft chuckling coming from the classroom where only Jameson remained.


End file.
